Audrey Streb
DCNF Energy Reporter
WASHINGTON — Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin told reporters Tuesday that it is “very telling” that China would want to keep a “Biden EPA rule in place.”
China is purportedly seeking to shape American energy policy by submitting public comments advocating for harsher Obama and Biden-era rules on power plants in a move that has several energy sector experts concerned, the Daily Caller News Foundation previously reported. In response to a DCNF question on the issue, Zeldin told reporters Tuesday that his agency is proposing regulatory action that “makes America stronger” and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) “weaker.”
“When the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) provides a public comment regarding one of our proposed rules, my first thought is that we should do the opposite of whatever they want us to do,” Zeldin told reporters Tuesday. “It’s pretty striking that the Chinese Communist Party would want us to keep a Biden EPA rule in place. It’s very telling, and I would say it only provides me more clarity that we’re on the right track [and] that we’re proposing regulatory action that makes America stronger and the CCP weaker.” (RELATED: America’s Biggest Rival Looks To Keep US Energy Smothered Under Crippling Biden-Era Regs)
Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump, (L) speaks on during a campaign stop to address Pennsylvanians who are concerned about the threat of Communist China to U.S. agriculture at the Smith Family Farm September 23, 2024 in Smithton, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Win McNamee via Getty Images)
The People’s Republic of China left at least three different public comments on EPA rule proposals that would cut or reform some aggressive Biden-era regulations that energy policy experts have previously told the DCNF could devastate America’s power grid. Zeldin has proposed several deregulatory actions to boost American energy while safeguarding human health and the environment, including rules that drew China’s attention in August.
Specifically, China urged the EPA to preserve its emissions rules for coal- and oil-fired power plants, maintain existing greenhouse gas standards for fossil fuel plants and refrain from imposing restrictions on foreign renewable fuel imports. The EPA introduced the three proposed rules to roll back strict Obama and Biden-era emissions standards and to update renewable fuel standards as part of “reducing reliance on foreign sources of oil,” according to the agency.
“This is the same regime that burns more coal than the rest of the world combined, without the pollution controls that have made America a world leader in clean air,” Jason Isaac, CEO of the American Energy Institute, told the DCNF previously. “Anyone opposing these reforms is, wittingly or not, aligning with China’s economic interests over America’s. Trump is right to put American energy first, and his critics should have to explain why they’re siding with the Chinese Communist Party over American energy and environmental excellence.”
The Chinese Embassy did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
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Let’s not go wobbly on rescinding the power plant rules! Regardless of what China is doing to influence the U.S., and regardless of the expansion of their own coal-fired fleet, it was unsound all along to think that emissions of CO2 from reliable generation sources mattered to any trend of any climate variable.
Lee Zeldin is a champion-level player in this administration.
https://www.regulations.gov/comment/EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-0124-0141
100%..
The USA accepts no comments from the peanut gallery. Lee Zeldin.
The People’s Republic of China operates on sheer bloody minded zero sum game mercantilism, tempered only by spite.
Tempered by, or driven by?
Meaning that the CCP will sometimes do
something that damages their interests, if it also hurts foreigners. They hope it buggers the foreign devils more, but they do it anyway,
Given the following list, who would you want as an advisor:
Al Gore, Greta Thunberg, the CCP, or Mr. Ed –a talking palomino named Bamboo Harvester.
Personally I’d prefer Bonzo over Mr Ed or even Francis. But I liked Reagan.
Lighten up, Francis.
Not quite accurate. the word “China” should be replaced with “CCP”.
The CCP constantly surveil Chinese citizens in Australia and they or their family back in China get reprimanded if they are disrespectful to the CCP.
CCP has taken various markets from Australia to punish the country. That is why Australia has Federal and State leaders beating a path to Chine to appease the CCP.
I have a view that Australia would bow allegiance to the CCP before Taiwan.
A century on from Germany in the 1930s, CCP may establish those of Chinese origin as the master race of the 21st century. How is DEI going in China?
Taiwan has never asked anyone to bow before it.
Pretty much, if China pushes for something…just say NO.
If China pushes against something…full steam ahead!
You and Lee Zeldin have it right.
I have no words, China can go to hell.
“When the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) provides a public comment regarding one of our proposed rules, my first thought is that we should do the opposite of whatever they want us to do,” Zeldin told reporters Tuesday.
Beware reverse psychology…. and the well versed Chinese inscrutability …. I’m no rocket scientist but I don’t think first reactions are necessarily the best ones….more digging is required before going off half cocked….. I’m a fan of the current US admin in many ways… but American bravado over deep intellectual understanding of China’s real intentions could be costly. The US is in the short game…. China?…… long game for sure.
From their comments, I think China wants Trump to import more windmills and solar panels.
Somebody should tell China that Trump hates windmills and industrial solar.
Consensus creates first impressions in the masses – appeal to authority and all of it.
Sad that anyone would be fooled by China trying to influence US regulations.
Even sadder is the number of people fooled by China trying to influence US regulations.
The CCP trying to influence other nations policies? Whoda thunk it!!! Zeldin spot on to call it..
As for Australia, well the CCP don’t need to influence Aus at all. The current socialist left government is simply handing the nation’s energy security willingly over the CCP…
Some are speaking up waiting for the Coalition to get their act together and call BS on nut-zero-
Mazda says EVs “don’t really save the planet”, urges rethink on well-to-wheel emissions
What could be achieved has been achieved. Further attempts to reduce already reduced emissions is nothing else than a waste of time, ressources and money.
80/20 rules, sadly idiotic pencilpushers disagree….of course, their well paid jobs are in line.
Hmm I once came up with the comparision of a bricklayer, once he’s done the job he has no claim on what you do in your house which walls he once errected at your expense.
Same principle must be applied to the government, in other words spoken: effoff burro(c)rats
Linear no-threshold is the battle cry. Anything above zero will be catastrophic.
Everyone has a right to an opinion, and to express their opinion.
As long as they don’t try to hide who they are while expressing that opinion.
The shame would be on our politicians if they were to pay more attention to CCP opinion than to the opinion of their own citizens.
China needs to drink a big tall glass of shudthehellup.
Gut everything Biden and Obama did, and gut ALL California interference in American energy, mining, transportation and agriculture.
Include Clinton-Gore as far as EPA, energy, environment, and associated.
CCP China, eh? They joined the Paris Agreement on April 22, 2016, the day it was opened for signature. They later ratified the agreement in September 2016 ahead of the G20 Summit.
In the intervening 9+ years, China CO2 emissions have risen by about 20%, according to a Web search. And they don’t have the ethics/honor to withdraw from the Paris Agreement and their “commitment” to its principles. So much for believing anything coming from that government.
As regards the CCP leaving comments about how the US should run its EPA: China/dictator Xi Jinping, I am holding up the three middle fingers of my right hand and inviting you to “read between the lines”.
Well in fairness I think their “commitment” was to “peak” their emissions by 2030. So they are right on track.
Of course, when the deadline arrives they’ll be some excuse while they insist the can must be kicked down the road. Rinse and repeat.
Well, personally, I promise—I really, really, cross-my-heart-and-hope-to-die, promise—that I will peak my own carbon emission before 2130.
Not to take too much pride in the fact, but I too am “right on track” to do that.
It’s all in the ‘plan’. Destroy the West’s ability to manufacture, demonize fossil fuels, then flood the world with cheap electric cars. Bingo, wealth redistribution. An audacious plan that almost worked until the world awakened to the scam. Soon every Chinese citizen, whether they want them or not, will be “gifted” an EV and it won’t mean squat to CO2 reduction because they weren’t driving ICE cars to begin with so there’s only increased C02 from the manufacturing of the cars.